22-26 May, 2024. I Papp László Budapest Sportaréna

Review

Rhythmic gymnastic (previously: artistic gymnastic, rhythmic sports gymnastics) is one of the most complex competitive sports for women, combining elements of ballet, dance and gymnastics, with elaborate use of apparatus.

The movements of the gymnasts are made truly breath-taking by their use of five such apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon. Each year gymnasts compete using the four apparatus determined for the year by the International Federation of Gymnastics, both individually and in teams. In group apparatus competition five gymnasts perform their exercises on the mat simultaneously, in perfect harmony.

Specific movement elements are performed in both the individual and the group exercise in 75-90 second (in group exercise 2.15-2.30 minute) routines, perfectly aligned to the music.

The performance of the contestants is scored by a jury comprising four members: two types of technical, artistic and execution panels are assessed and scored by the jurors. Individual competitors perform with one apparatus at a time and in the evaluation their results per apparatus and their all-round results are separately assessed. The apparatus groups perform two choreographies in total, one where each of the five gymnasts perform with the same apparatus, the other with two types of apparatus; this year a combination of 3 ribbons and 2 balls.

At present there are some 2500 registered competitive gymnasts in Hungary, with many times more people engaged in rhythmic gymnastics all over the country in the context of various training courses.

World competitions in Hungary:

  1. 1963 Budapest – World Championship – categorised as such in retrospect because of the large number of contestants and countries participating in the event
  2. Budapest – World Championship
  3. Budapest – European Championship
  4. Budapest – World Championship
  5. 2017 Budapest – European Championship

Best result:

Andrea Sinkó (1988 Seoul) individual all-round 6th position

World cups in Hungary:

  1. 2009. Budapest
  2. 2010. Debrecen
  3. 2014. Debrecen
  4. 2015. Budapest

Hungarian gymnasts in Olympics:

  1. Fanni Pigniczki (2021)
  2. Viktória Fráter (1992, 1996, 2000)
  3. Andrea Szalay (1992, 1996)
  4. Andrea Sinkó (1988)
  5. Nóra Érfalvy (1988)